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At 28 weeks I started to gain weight rapidly. It was out of control, my |
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At 28 weeks I started to gain weight rapidly. It was out of control, my hands and legs were getting so big that I couldn't do normal functions. I called my OB and he said that I needed to cut back on the salt, and elevate my legs when I could. But I knew my body, and something was not right. By 31 weeks I had gained almost 50 lbs in a month. I had my usual checkup and the doctor finally decided to check for preeclampsia. He sent me home to do a 24 hour urine test. The next day I dropped off the test, and went home to wait for results. The next morning I woke up and was losing my vision. I was going blind, and had a very painful migraine headache. I was also experiencing pain in my upper right abdomen. I was unable to walk or see, so I crawled to the phone and called for help. Once I was in the labor & delivery the doctor came in and delivered some scary news. She said that the protein levels in my urine were off the chart. My blood pressure was so high that I was going to be put on Magnesium Sulfate to help prevent a stroke. Worst of all, I was being taken to a hospital equipped with at level 4 Newborn Intensive Care Unit, to deliver my daughter, at 31 weeks. Once I arrived, they checked me and discovered that my kidneys were starting to shut down and were not producing any more urine. My anemia levels were really bad, and my blood pressure was getting higher every time it was checked. My new OB told me that they were going to do an emergency c-section. That night at 11:26 pm our daughter was born, weighing 3 lbs. 5 oz. I was still in danger of losing my life and was immediately taken back to the ICU. It was three days before my swelling, blood pressure, and kidney function were returning back to normal, and I was finally allowed to leave the ICU and see my baby for the first time. After 32 days in the NICU, she came home healthy, just very small. I am still suffering from anemia and high blood pressure. The OB who delivered her told me that if I had not gone to the hospital when I did, I was probably going to have a stroke. I had not only developed preeclampsia, but also HELLP Syndrome as well. My daughter and I are both lucky to be here. |
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